Remotely controlled electrical switch device



June 1, 1965 T. D. HARDESTY 3,137,139

REMOTELY CONTROLLED ELECTRICAL SWITCH DEVICE Filed Dec. 27, 1960 Fllllllll r I Z? WW5. mwm m 7 0 A M MM U a M. I0 M Q M. w x a m UnitedStates Patent M 3,187,139 REMOTELY CONTROLLED ELECTRICAL SWITCH DEVICEThomas D. Hardesty, 3004 Broadway, Lorain, Ohio Filed Dec. 27, 1960,Ser. No. 78,446 3 Claims. (Cl. 200-87) This invention relates to aremotely controlled electrical warning or alerting device, and it moreparticularly relates to a warning device of the aforesaid type which isadapted to be used in the home as an air raid alert means.

Warning or alarm systems heretofore in general use have been, for themost part, complex, overly sensitive and unduly expensive for widespreadhome use. Consequently, air raid alerts are generally provided by sirensin a centrally located area, such sirens being loud enough to be heardby all in the area. However, during testing of the equipment or practicealerts, the harsh and overly loud nature of these sirens cause undueannoyance. Furthermore, if something should go wrong with this centralsiren, the entire area would be without adequate warning.

It is one object of the present invention to overcome the above andother disadvantages by providing a warning device of the aforesaid typewhich is relatively simple and not overly sensitive and therefore notsubject to easy disorder.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a warning deviceof the aforesaid type which can be installed in individual homes andwhich can be provided with an alarm signal which is most pleasant forthe individual home dwellers according to their tastes.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a warning deviceof the aforesaid type which can easily be tested by the individual homeowner when he pleases.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide an improvedwarning device, of the character described, that is easily andeconomically produced, which is sturdy in construction, and which ishighly eihcient in operation.

With the above and related objects in View, this invention consists inthe details of construction and combination of parts, as will be morefully understood from the following description, when read inconjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a warning device embodying thepresent invention, the electrical connections being shown somewhatdiagrammatically.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the device of FIG. 1, taken one line 22 ofFIG. 3.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a modified form of device embodyingthe present invention, on a smaller scale.

FIG. 6 is an end view taken on line 6-6 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of another modified form of the deviceembodying the present invention, also on a smaller scale.

Referring in greater detail to the drawing, wherein similar referencecharacters refer to similar parts, there is shown in FIGS. 1-4 a warningdevice, generally designated 10, comprising a rectangular housing 12 ofelectrically insulating material such as phenolic resin or the like. Thewalls of the housing 12 are all integrally connected except for oneremovable side wall 14 which provides access to the interior of thehousing 12. The wall 14 may be releasably held in place by bolts 15.

Within the housing 12 are positioned the inner ends of a pair ofelectrodes or prongs 16 and 18, these electrodes 16 and 18 extendingthrough corresponding apertures in one of the end walls of the housing12. The inner end of the electrode 16 is provided with a terminal3,187,139 Patented June 1, 1965 screw 29 to which are connected a pairof electrical wires 22 and 24. The wire 22 extends through an insulatingcable or sleeve 26 positioned in an aperture in the opposite end wall ofthe housing 12 while the wire 24 is connected to the coil 28 of anelectro-magnet 30 fixed on a bracket 31 mounted within the housing 12 ata predetermined angular position. A wire or lead 32 connects the coil 28to the electrode 18 to complete a circuit between the electrodes 16 and18.

The electrode 13, within the housing 12, is provided with a fork portion34 (see FIG. 4) and extending be tween the arms of the fork portion 34is a pivot shaft 36. Pivotally mounted on the shaft 36 is finger orswitch blade 38 constructed of electrically insulating material. Atorsion spring 4%) is provided on the shaft 36 and has an end portion 42overlapping the blade 38. This spring 40 acts to resiliently bias theblade 38 downwardly toward the dotted outline position illustrated inFIG. 2, whereby said blade 38 forms the movable portion of a switchmeans.

The blade 38 is provided on its upper surface with an electricallyconductive plate 44 made of steel or the like, and on its bottom surfacethe blade 38 is provided with an electrical contact 46. This contact 46is adapted to abut a fixed electrical contact 23 positioned on anelectrically conductive arm 50 having a portion 52 connected to thehousing 12 by a terminal screw 54. The screw 54 holds one end of anelectrical wire 56 leading through the sleeve 26.

Adjacent the contact 4-8 and its supporting members is provided a latchfinger 58 pivoted on a pin 6t) mounted between the ears of a generallyU-shaped bracket 62. The latch finger S8 is provided with a notch 64adapted to engage the blade 38 to retain it in the lower biased position(shown in FIG. 3 and in dotted outline in FIG. 2). The finger 53 isprovided with a lever portion 66 extending through a correspondingaperture in the housing 12 to an outer position available for easygrasping for manual actuation.

The wires 22 and 56 are connected at 63 and 7 0 respectively to theterminals of a signal device such as a radio, a bell, or other soundproducer, indicated generally at 72 (seeFIG. 1 In operation, with thenormal house current flowing and the electrodes or prongs 16 and 18connected into a regular electrical receptacle or wall socket, theapplied voltage is sufficient to actuate the electro-magnet 30 to retainthe blade 38 in the open position (shown in full line in FIG. 2).However, if the voltage should fall below a predetermined minimum, forexample 60 volts, the resulting magnetic force of the electro-magnet 30would not be sufiicient to overcome the force of spring 40 and thisspring 4-0 would then snap the blade 38 into the closed (or dottedoutline) position wherein contact 46 would engage contact 48 andestablish a circuit to the warning device or radio 72. The radio 72,which would be kept in on position tuned to a CONELRAD station, wouldthen give the alarm. It is to be noted that in this closed switchposition, the latch 58 would automatically lock the blade 38 in closedposition. Therefore, if there is a complete temporary power failure sothat no power would be available for actuating the signal, when powerreturned, the signal would automatically become actuated.

If warning devices of the above type were installed in all homes, intime of emergency, the central power operator could lower the voltage inall the electrical lines below the predetermined level momentarily toactuate all the individual signals and then could return it to normal.If it were merely desired to test the various devices, such momentarylowering of voltage causing the radio 72 to play would not unduly alarmthe population since the radio would indicate that no real emergencyexisted. F urthermore, if'the individual home owner wished to test hisdevice himself, he could do so merely by pulling the electrodes 16 and18 out of the electrical receptacle, causing the contacts 46 and 48 toclose. He could then reinsert the prongs or electrodes 16 and 18 in thereceptacle to cause the signal to operate. He can then stop the signalby pressing the lever 66 to unlatch the blade 38 and permit theelectro-magnet 30 to retain the switch open. This unlatching operationwould also be used in the event of an inadvertent power failure whichwould cause the signal to operate upon the return of power.

It is to be understood that although a radio 72 is used to illustratethe signal means, any other desired type of signal may be substitutedaccording to the individuals tastes and preferences. In this connection,in FIGS. 5 and 6, there is shown a warning device, generally designated100, which, in most instances, is identical with the device shown at 10.It includes the identical type of housing, here designated 102 andidentical electrodes or prongs designated 104 and 106. It differs fromthe device only in that instead of having a cable or sleeve 26 leadingto aradio, there is provided an adaptor or socket portion 108 having apair of slots 110. These slots 110 are each lined with electricallyconducting material which is connected to the wires 22 and 56respectively. These slots 110 are adapted to receive the electrodes orprongs of an ordinary electrical plug on an electrical cord of thestandard type. This cord can then be electrically connected to any typeof signal device desired. By this construction, the warning device 100can be selectively used, as desired, with whatever type of signal devicepleases the person then using it. If the person should then change hismind, he can merely unplug the one signal and substitute another. A deafperson, for instance, could plug a flashing lamp into receptacle slots110. y

In FIG. 7, there is shown a warning device 200 also identical withdevice 10 in almost every respect including the housing 202 andelectrodes or prongs 204 and 206. However, here, the signal, in the formof a buzzer assembly 208, is attached directly to the housing 202 and isin electrical connection with the internal wiring thereof similarly tothe modifications described above. This form of the device, althoughless adaptable than those described above, has the advantage of beingmore compact and simpler to install and use since all that need be donewith this form of the device is to plug it in any electrical receptacleor outlet in the house.

Although this invention has been described in considerable detail, suchdescription is intended as being illustrative rather than limiting,since the invention may be vari-.

ously embodied, and the scope of the invention is to be determined asclaimed. 7

Having thus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, whatis claimed is:

1. An electrical switch device comprising a housing, a low voltageactuated circuit completing switch means in said housing comprising athrough conductor and two spaced apart conductor portions, a firstcontact means pivotally mounted in said housing and electricallyconnected to one Of'said conductor portions, a second contact meansfixed in said housing in the path of said pivotally mounted firstcontact means, said second contact means being electrically connected tothe other of said conductor portions to thereby complete a circuitbetween said con: ductor portions and said through conductor when saidpivoted contact means is in contact with said fixed contact conductorand fixed in said housing adajcent said pivoted contact means to biasand hold said pivoted contact means in circuit interrupting position onnormal voltage through said electromagnet means, and biasing means, ofless biasing power than said electromagnet means, biasing said pivotedcontact means to circuit completing position with said fixed contactmeans, on less than normal voltage through said electromagnet means. 7

2. The switch of claim 1, and a pivoted releasable latch means, in thepath of said pivoted contact means, for holding said pivoted contactmeans, when biased into circuit completing position with said fixedcontact means during low voltage in the circuit, in said circuitcompleting position against the biasing action of said electromagnetmeans during subsequent normal voltage in the circuit.

3. The switch of claim 2, and a manually actuable lever meansoperatively connected to said latch means and extending externally ofsaid housing for releasing said latch means from said pivoted contactmeans permitting said electromagnet to bias said pivoted contact meansto circuit interrupting position during normal voltage through saidelectromagnet means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,682,332 8/28Hamlin 340-256 1,950,022 3/34 Davis 200-106 2,157,787 5/39 Farrell200-87 2,179,486 11/39 Barnes a 200-106 2,184,755 12/39 Pratt 340-256BERNARD GILHEANY, Primary Examiner.

IRVING L. SRAGOW, Examiner.

1. AN ELECTRICAL SWITCH DEVICE COMPRISING A HOUSING, A LOW VOLTAGEACTUATED CIRCUIT COMPLETING SWITCH MEANS IN SAID HOUSING COMPRISING ATHROUGH CONDUCTOR AND TWO SPACED APART CONDUCTOR PORTIONS, A FIRSTCONTACT MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED IN SAID HOUSING AND ELECTRICALLYCONNECTED TO ONE OF SAID CONDUCTOR PORTIONS, A SECOND CONTACT MEANSFIXED IN SAID HOUSING IN THE PATH OF SAID PIVOTALLY MOUNTED FIRSTCONTACT MEANS, SAID SECOND CONTACT MEANS BEING ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED TOTHE OTHER OF SAID CONDUCTOR PORTIONS TO THEREBY COMPLETE A CIRCUITBETWEEN SAID CONDUCTOR PORTIONS AND SAID THROUGH CONDUCTOR WHEN SAIDPIVOTED CONTACT MEANS IS IN CONTACT WITH SAID FIXED CONTACT MEANS, ANELECTROMAGNET MEANS CONNECTED IN A CIRCUIT BETWEEN ONE OF SAID CONDUCTORPORTIONS AND SAID THROUGH CONDUCTOR AND FIXED IN SAID HOUSING ADJACENTSAID PIVOTED CONTACT MEANS TO BIAS AND HOLD SAID PIVOTED CONTACT MEANSIN CIRCUIT INTERRUPTING POSITION ON NORMAL VOLTAGE THROUGH SAIDELECTROMAGNET MEANS, AND BIASING MEANS, OF LESS BIASING POWER THAN SAIDELECTROMAGNET MEANS, BIASING SAID PIVOTED CONTACT MEANS TO CIRCUITCOMPLETING POSITION WITH SAID FIXED CONTACT MEANS, ON LESS THAN NORMALVOLTAGE THROUGH SAID ELECTROMAGNET MEANS.